DACOR and DACOR Bacon House Foundation

What DACOR and DACOR Bacon House Foundation does

DACOR and DACOR Bacon House Foundation is a 501(c) private nonprofit membership organization serving approximately 2,600 individuals (1,600 primary members plus 1,000 spouses and partners) in the U.S. foreign affairs community, headquartered in the historic 24-room Federal mansion at 1801 F Street NW in Washington, DC. Founded in 1950 as Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired, Inc., it evolved from a 1907 shared residence known as "The Family" and merged with the Bacon House Foundation in 1985 to occupy its current landmark property. The membership is 86% U.S. diplomats and civil service professionals, 76% retired, and 60% based in the DC metro area, with the remainder distributed across the U.S. and overseas posts.

The core offering is membership access — annual dues range from $35 to $508 depending on resident status and age tier, with a new initiation fee of $100–$250 effective January 2025 — combined with on-site programming at the DACOR Bacon House, reciprocal club rights in 11 U.S. states and 14 countries, mentoring partnerships with George Washington University and the University of the District of Columbia, and a portfolio of six scholarship and fellowship programs administered by the Foundation. Revenue is diversified across membership dues, event space rental and catering, transaction-based events (lunches, jazz performances, holiday events), and donations processed via DonorPerfect. The organization operates with 27 staff and no external equity or venture capital ownership, with publicly available Form 990 filings for both entities.

Name

DACOR and DACOR Bacon House Foundation

Legal name

Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired, Inc.

Website

https://dacorbacon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DACOR and DACOR Bacon House Foundation is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit membership organization serving roughly 2,600 U.S. foreign affairs professionals with historic-house programming, reciprocal club access, and a portfolio of education scholarships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from primary members, spouses/partners, and legacy members at various tier levels based on resident/non-resident status and age.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue from member lunches, special events, cultural programs, and facility rentals including the Summer BBQ, holiday events, and discussion groups.
3. Event Space Rental: The DACOR Bacon House is available for rental by members and individuals/organizations they sponsor for meetings, conferences, receptions, and weddings.
4. Donations and Bequests: The DACOR Bacon House Foundation accepts donations designated for education programs, scholarships, and general support. Bequests from members fund various scholarship programs.
5. Catering Services: Full catering service provided for events held at the DACOR Bacon House, including executive chef services and various menu options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DACOR is a nonprofit membership organization that provides foreign affairs professionals access to a historic Washington DC mansion, including dining, event programming, venue rental, catering, and overnight guest accommodations. The affiliated DACOR Bacon House Foundation administers educational scholarships, fellowships, and a mentoring program. Members and sponsored guests can also access reciprocal clubs domestically and internationally.

Product overview

DACOR and DACOR Bacon House Foundation is a membership organization for foreign affairs professionals operating from a historic 24-room Federal mansion in Washington DC. The core offerings include DACOR Membership providing access to the DACOR Bacon House, reciprocal club rights, and member programs; DACOR Bacon House Event Space Rental for meetings, receptions, and weddings; DACOR Bacon House Catering with executive chef services; and Guest Room accommodations. The Foundation administers six education programs including Graduate Fellowships, Undergraduate Metro Scholarships, Dreyfus Scholarships, AFSA-administered scholarships, Gantenbein Medical Fund Fellowship, and Sherry Barndollar Rock Scholarship. Additional offerings include the DACOR Mentoring Program, Battle-Torbert Library, DACOR Boutique, and the DACOR Memorial Section at Rock Creek Cemetery.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DACOR Membership
• DACOR Bacon House Event Space Rental
• DACOR Bacon House Catering
• DACOR Bacon House Guest Rooms
• Graduate Fellowships for International Affairs Study
• Undergraduate Metro Scholarships
• Dreyfus Scholarships
• AFSA-Administered Foreign Service Dependent Scholarships
• Gantenbein Medical Fund Fellowship
• Sherry Barndollar Rock Scholarship
• DACOR Mentoring Program
• DACOR Boutique
• DACOR Memorial Section at Rock Creek Cemetery

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,100 members and family members buried in DACOR Memorial Section at Rock Creek Cemetery since 1964
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• World Affairs Council of PhiladelphiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDACOR provides exclusive, discounted access to tours curated by their travel partner, the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. Members can find more info at wacphila.org/travel/upcoming-tours/. This partnership provides additional value to DACOR members through curated travel experiences.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Emerging players

• American Foreign Service Association (AFSA): The professional association and union representing active-duty Foreign Service employees; partially overlapping with DACOR's foreign affairs audience but focused on active members and advocacy rather than a historic clubhouse experience, making it a complementary rather than directly competing organization.

Direct peers

• The Union Club of New York: Oldest private social club in New York City with a historic clubhouse, dining, accommodations, and reciprocal-club privileges; broadly comparable to DACOR's business model, reciprocal network, and historic-venue positioning.
• Cosmos Club: Washington, DC private social club for distinguished professionals in science, literature, arts, and public service; comparable to DACOR as a membership-only club occupying a historic DC mansion, hosting intellectual programs, and providing dining and event space to its members.
• National Press Club: DC-based professional membership organization for journalists and communications professionals with a historic clubhouse hosting speaker programs, luncheons, and event rentals; shares DACOR's membership-fee-plus-event-revenue model and programming-driven value proposition.
• Capitol Hill Club: Private social and dining club in Washington, DC for professionals connected to government and policy; directly comparable to DACOR as a DC-based private membership club with a reciprocal network, event rentals, and a niche professional/affiliated membership base.
• Army and Navy Club: Private members-only club in Washington, DC serving military officers, federal officials, and their families; highly comparable to DACOR given overlapping membership demographics, reciprocal-club reciprocity, and a historic DC clubhouse with lodging and event space.
• Metropolitan Club of Washington: Premier private social club in DC founded in 1863, offering dining, accommodations, and event facilities in a historic building; directly comparable to DACOR in business model, target market (DC professional/elite), and historic-mansion venue strategy.

Regional players

• The Pilgrims Society: Anglo-American fellowship organization of senior diplomats, business, and academic figures, with strong overlap to the diplomatic/international affairs audience DACOR serves; comparable in mission (fostering ties among diplomatic professionals) but operates differently (events and dinners rather than a permanent clubhouse).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/DACOR-and-DACOR-Bacon-House-Foundation-135980179779310
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dacor-and-dacor-bacon-house-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/dacorbacon

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DACOR and DACOR Bacon House Foundation